l coombs



c. L. COOMBS.

APPARAIUS FOR LOCKING DRAWERS.

APPLICATION 1151) AUG. 14. 1911:.

lal'mltcdSept. J, 1919.

3 SHEETS+SHEET 2.

INVENTOR C. L. Coo/was.

Cl L. CUUMBS.

APPAHAIUS FUR LOCKING DRAWEHS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 14. 1911;.

lzltontedfiept. 9, 191$).

3 sHEETS sHEET 3.

INVENTOR 6L. Coo/145s.

crimes L. commas, or nmwnn, cor.on.n1 o.-

APPARATUS FOR LOCKIN G DRAWERS.

Specification of Letters Batent. Patented Sept, 9, 19 19.

Application filed Augusty, 1918. Serial m5. 249,795.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Crmnnns L. COOMBS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for LockingDrawers, of which the following is a. specification.

This invention relates to improvements H1 locking devices for drawersand other sliding receptacles of bureaus, chests, filing cases, des sand other similar articles of furniture, and its primary object is toprovide a. simple mechanism which by actuation of a single operatingelement secures a number of drawers or series of drawers contained in'apiece of furniture, simultaneously in their closed position. v

Another object of the invent-ionis to provide in connection with thesecuring mechanisin, a key-controlled lock which prevents its beingoperated by unauthorized persons.

The above and other objects all of which will fully appear in the courseof the foilowing description I attain by the mechanism and combinationsof devices shown in their preferred form inthe accompanying drawings inwhich like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views and in which Figure 1 represents a front view of aportion of a filing cabinet to which my improved locking apparatus isapplied,

Fig.2, a fragmentary section taken along the line-2-2', Fig. 1, showingthe operating and. locking elements of the apparatus on a larger scale,

Fig. 3, an enlarged fragmentary section taken along anyone of'the lines3-3, Fig. 1,

Fig. 4, a transverse section on the line 4-4, Fig. 3, n

Fig. 5, an enlarged section taken on the line5-5,Fig.2, C

Fig. 6, a sectional elevation of a modification of my invention,

Fig. 7, a similar view showing the drawer to which the modified lockingdevice is applied, in a partially open position, V

Fi 8, a section on, the line 8-8, Figs. 6 and 9 and Fig. 9 a horizontalsection taken along the line 9-9, Figs. 6 and 8.

Referring to the drawings by numerical reference characters, 2designates a filing cabinet fitted with several series of verticallyarranged drawers for various pur- The series of drawers in the figureare arbitrarily arranged to illustrate the adaptability of my inventionto cabinets, chests, desks and bureaus of various constructions anddesigns, and it should be understood that by changing the relativesitions of its coiiperative members and ma ing minor changes in theirform and construction, my improvedapparatus may be used to look any oneor more series of drawers contained in an article of furniture,irrespective of their form, size or relative arrangement.

My apparatus comprises one or more rotary lock-bolts 3 which aredisposed between the series of drawers 4 to secure them simultaneouslyin their closed position.

The bolts are to this end oblong in crosssection and the drawers of theseries have in their sides vertically alin'edrccesses 5 to receive thelongitudinal edges 6 of the bolts when they are turned at right anglesto their normal inoperative position.

The several bolts are simultaneously turned to the positions in whichthey secure or release the drawers of the series between which they aredisposed, by the sliding movement of a bar 7 with which they, areconnected through the intermediary of crank-arms 8 at one of their ends.

An operating lever 9 is connected with the sliding bar to effect itsmovement, and a lock 10 of suitable construction is provided to securethe .lever in its adjusted positions.

In the construction shown in the drawings the sliding bar is disposed ina recess 12 of the partition 13 between upper and lower sections 14 and15 of the filing cabinet and the operating lever which is fulcrumed asat 16 and pivotally connected with the bar as at 17 extends throughatransverse passage 18 which connects the recess 12 with the front edgeof the partition.

The lever projecting beyond the front of the cabinet is readilyaccessible for manipulation and it has two laterally extending wings 19provided 'with openings 20 to receive the bolt 21 of the key-controlledlock 10 which is fastened in a recess of the before-mentioned partitionof the cabinet.

It will be understood that this lock may be of any suitable constructionand operated.

series of drawers are to this end provided with vertical channels 23 inwhich the bolts extend. r

The bolts which as stated before, are oblong in cross-section are curvedat their longitudinal edges 6 to fit within the 'recesses 5 of thedrawers, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. a

They are preferably made by flattening opposite sides of a round rod andtheir thiclc ness does not exceed that of the partition in which they.are placed so that when turned to an inoperative position they releaseboth series of drawers and permit of their unrestricted sliding motion.I

The bolts are rotatably supported at their "ends in bearings fastened tothe horizontal parts of the cabinet between which they are disposed andthey carry adjacent one of their ends the laterally extending crank arms8 by which they are connected with the sliding bar 7.

The bearings which support the bolts are preferably composed ofape'rtured plates 23 which are fastened in mortises of the respectiveparts of the cabinet by beveled headed screws 24, .and the ends of thebolts are reduced in diameter to fit within the apertures of the plates.

In the operation of my invention the locl-: ing bolts are normally in avposition in which their longitudinal edges arewithdrawn in the channelsof the partitions between the series of drawers, thereby permitting theunrestricted movement of the drawers in either direction.

When it is desired to secure the drawers in the closed position, thebolts are turned simultaneously through an angle of 90 degrees by thesliding movement of the bar 7 imparted thereto through theinstrumentali'ty of the operating lever 9.

This movement of the bolts causes their rounded edges to enter thesimilarly formed recesses in the sides of the drawers and therebyprevent the drawers from being opened.

The lever 9 is locked in either of its two adjusted positions by causingthe bolt 21 of the lock 10 to enter the opening 20 of the Wing withwhich it registers.

In the modified construction shown in Figs. 6 to 9, the locking devicehas been shown as applied to drawers of metal filing cases.

The modification has for its principal object the provision of lockingmeans which permit of automatically securing one or more of the drawersof a cabinet or desk, left in an open position after the other drawershave been locked, by their subsequent vmovement to the closed position.

.on collars 28 which are fastened around a rotary rod 29.

Under ordinary conditions the operation of the modified locking deviceis the same as that of the first described mechanism, it being apparentthat the rounded edges on the collars 28 by entering the correspondinglyformed recesses in the ends of the pivoted bars 25, lock the respectivedrawers against movement in either direction.

If one or more of a series of drawers to which the modified lockingmechanism is applied, are left in an open position after the otherdrawers have been closed and locked, their subsequent inward movementwill cause the projecting portions of the collars 28 to engage theslanting lower edges of the respective pivoted bars with the result thatthe bars are lifted as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings and ride upon theprojections of the collars until the latter come in register with therecesses in the forward ends of the barswhich in consequence drop totheir normal position.

Having thus described my improved lockilig mechanism in two of its mostpractical forms at'present known to me, I desire it understood thatother modifications in the construction and arrangement of itscoiiperative parts may be resorted to within the spirit of my inventionas set forth in the following claimsi,

1. In locking apparatus of the character described, the combination witha plurality of drawers having recesses in their opposite sides,channeled partitions between the drawers, and a recessed iececonnectingthe partitions, of rotary loc ring-bolts disposed in thechannels of the partitions and adapted to enter the recesses of thedrawers, and mechanism for the simultaneous rotation of the bolts,inside a recess of the connectingpiece, and including anoperating-member accessible from without the same.

2. In locking apparatus of the character described, the combination witha plurality of drawers having recesses in their opposite sides,channeled partitions between the drawers, and a recessed piececonnecting the partitions, of rotary locking bolts disposed in thechannels of the partitions and adapted to enter the recesses of thedrawers, a sliding bar within a recess of the connecting piece, havingcrank-connections with the bolts, and an operating lever connected withthe sliding bar and extending through an opening of the connecting piecefor its manipulation from a point outside the same.

3. In looking apparatus of the character described, the combination withtwo drawers having arcuate recesses in their opposite sides, of a rotarylocking bolt including a part of oblong section having rounded edgesadapted to simultaneously enter the recesses of the drawers.

4. In locking apparatus of the character described, the combination withtwo series of vertically arranged drawers having alined recesses intheir opposite sides, of a rotary locking bolt of oblong sectiondisposed between the two series of drawers and having longitudinal edgesadapted to simultaneously enter the alined recesses of the same.

5. In locking apparatus of the character described, the combination witha sliding drawer, of a bar pivoted upon a side thereof: and having-arecess, and a rotary locking bolt having a part of oblong section adated to lift the bar by closing movement 0 the drawer, and to enter therecess thereof when the drawer is in its closed position.

6. In locking apparatus of the character described, the combination witha sliding drawer having a projecting fiange,-of a re cessed bar pivotedupon a side thereof and held in a determinate position by engagementwith said flange, and a rotary locking bolt having a part of oblongsection adapted to lift the bar by closing movement of the drawer and toenter the recess thereof when the drawer is in its closed position.

7. In combination, two sliding drawers having opposed recesses inopposite sides, and a rotary bolt between the drawers, having arelatively fixed locking-part which in one position of the bolt occupiesboth recesses and which in another position of the bolt, is outside thesame. I

8. In combination, two sliding drawers having opposed recesses inopposite sides,

a partition between the drawers having an opening alined with therecesses, and a' rotary bolt having a relatively fixed locking partwhich in one position of the bolt is inside the opening of the partitionand outside the recesses and which in another position of the boltextends partially inside the recesses.

'9. In combination, two sliding drawers having in opposite sides opposedrecesses of segmental section, and a rotary bolt between the drawersincluding a locking part provided with concentric rounded edges whichfit within the recesses, said locking part extending within the tworecesses in one position of the bolt, and outside the two recesses inanother positionof the same.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

-. CHARLES L. COOMBS.

